Author(s)

Carlos I. Cabrera, Julio C. Rimada, Maykel Courel, Luis Hernandez, James P. Connolly, Agustín Enciso, David A. Contreras-Solorio

Academic Unit of Physics, Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, México.
Academic Unit of Physics, Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, México; Faculty of Physics, University of Havana, La Habana, Cuba.
Department of Physics, University of Pinar del Río, Pinar del Río, Cuba.
Nanophotonics Technology Center, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Solar Cell Laboratory, Institute of Materials Science and Technology (IMRE), University of Havana, Havana, Cuba.
Solar Cell Laboratory, Institute of Materials Science and Technology (IMRE), University of Havana, Havana, Cuba; Higher School in Physics and Mathematics, National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, Mexico.

The inability of a single-gap solar cell to absorb energies less than the band-gap energy is one of the intrinsic loss mechanisms which limit the conversion efficiency in photovoltaic devices. New approaches to “ultra-high” efficiency solar cells include devices such as multiple quantum wells (QW) and superlattices (SL) systems in the intrinsic region of a p-i-n cell of wider band-gap energy (barrier or host) semiconductor. These configurations are intended to extend the absorption band beyond the single gap host cell semiconductor. A theoretical model has been developed to study the performance of the strain-balanced GaAsP/InGaAs/GaAs MQWSC, and GaAs/GaInNAs MQWSC or SLSC. Our results show that conversion efficiencies can be reached which have never been obtained before for a single-junction solar cell.

Quantum Well; Strain in Solids; Solar Cell; Conversion Efficiency; Modeling

C. Cabrera, J. Rimada, M. Courel, L. Hernandez, J. Connolly, A. Enciso and D. Contreras-Solorio, "Modeling Multiple Quantum Well and Superlattice Solar Cells," Natural Resources, Vol. 4 No. 3, 2013, pp. 235-245. doi: 10.4236/nr.2013.43030.